" "Five dollars! O
what a cheat!" and Fanny laid the shawl, all unfolded, upon the grass,
where scissors, needles, buttons, tape, pins, &c., lay strewed in wild
confusion. Once more the poor man wiped his forehead, and kept his
patience. It is bad policy for the poor to lose their patience.
"There comes Mary Palmer, and the missionary of Appledale," said Fanny.
"Mr. Cotting will have to give up his office, or take Miss Lindsay as
colleague."
Fanny knew that Emma was near enough to hear these remarks, but she did
not know for what intent the feeble girl had taxed her strength in
walking so far to see her.
The old peddler was now sadly putting his things back into his box; and
Fanny, looking at him a moment, felt the injustice of causing him so
much trouble for nothing: so she said to him, "Wait a moment--I will
take some of your knickknacks, though they are not worth buying;" and
she put into his hand a bill to pay for some articles which she hastily
selected.
The old man thanked her, and his hand trembled as he gave her the
change. Then he took up his heavy box, and Emma handed him the straps
which fastened it upon his shoulders.
"Is it very heavy?" she asked.
"Yes," was the reply, "it is; but I am used to heavy burdens."
"Well, the burden and heat of your life's day is almost over," said
Emma, as, assisted by Mary, she drew the strap firmly into the buckle.
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